Your Letters

I wanted to add one more dimension to your report about the
March 27 rally against Israel's elimination of Sheikh Yassin, held in front of
the Israeli Consulate ("Arab Americans Stage Protest at Israeli Consulate,"
April 2).

I was there as part of a quickly organized counter-rally.
Even though the rally was held on Shabbat, there were Orthodox Jews who joined
the group after attending services. There were Christians who felt so strongly
that they drove in from Orange County. And there were secular Jews. It was an
honor for us to have human rights activist Ted Hayes at our side. About 25 of
us stood together in the hot sun, on Shabbat, because we felt it was vital to
deliver the countermessage. Our signs read: "Hamas, stop killing children," "Yassin
was Israel's bin Laden" and "Stop Justifying Suicide Bombing." Just like their
message, our message also got out. Those who organized the rally supporting Yassin
found that they could not dominate the streets or the media.

I remain convinced that it is essential to continue
countering the disinformation and moral confusion that marks the anti-Israel
positions.

Roz Rothstein, Executive Director StandWithUs

In the article about the Arab protest, I was the one
referred to as a "Jewish Activist with Israeli flag." I was holding the flag
with Ted Hayes and had an Israeli flag in my other hand. Ted is black, I am an
American of Mexican descent and on the other side of Ted was Paul Nissian, an
American of Japanese descent. Israel has supporters from all ethnic groups and
we will continue to fight and present a vocal and visible presence in the face
of those who would threaten Israel and our Jewish community.

David Hernandez, Valley Village

Education Bill

The erosion of our Constitution could not be more blatant
than the concept of educational vouchers for religious groups (no matter what
their bent) and HR 3077, the International Studies in Higher Education Act of
2003, which would amend Title VI of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to enhance
international education programs ("Big Brother Lurks in Higher Education Bill,"
March 26).

Our country has had difficulty, throughout its history, with
issues of religion and its encroachment into government policy and the lives of
our citizens. The adding of the Bill of Rights provisions to our constitution
was formed with the intent of protecting the minority from the majority whether
that minority is a group or an individual citizen. There are possibly no other
actions that could negate this protection than the erosion of the separation
between church and state. Our Constitution is in reality "Big Brother watching"
in the most positive sense. That Big Brother is something we all want to hang
around and watch over us.

Bruce F. Whizin, Sherman Oaks

Ukraine

Referring to "Behind Kitchen Door No. 1" (March 26), written
by Beverly Levitt, when will you people understand that the expression "the Ukraine"
is offensive? The correct name of the country is Ukraine. When will you educate
your editors and staff members to be accurate?

Orest Steciw, Via e-mail

Jewish Engineers

Your article titled "USC Honors Cell Phone Pioneer" (March
26), regarding USC's School of Engineering being named for Italian Jew Andrew Viterbi,
reminds me that there are now four major engineering schools at California
universities named for Jews: the Andrew and Erna School of Engineering at USC;
the Irwin Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego; the Henry Samueli
School of Engineering at UC Irvine; and the Henry Samueli School of Engineering
at UCLA.

Martin A. Brower, Corona del Mar

Arnold to Israel

The Jewish Journal's recent coverage and editorial comments
about Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's planned May trip to Israel portrayed a
certain undefined discontent among some in the Los Angeles Jewish community
("Fine-Tuning," March 26). Frankly the reporting here (Sacramento and the
capitol area) is quite different. The perception is positive as it should be
regardless of the trip's origin or unrelated secondary issues. In fairness, as
a part of your own editorial comments, Mel Levine was quoted as conveying a
somewhat similar sentiment.

Israel's rightful position during these parlous times could
be strengthened. This would be a welcome change, particularly given the slew of
Hollywood types that have flocked there to pontificate with Israel's
detractors. As long as the governor does not weigh in with Israel's "moral
equivalent" crowd, this visit should be praised and supported by our community,
as it will be by our non-Jewish friends.

Steven Fishbein, Sacramento

Anti-Semitism and the
Web

Joe Eskanazi, in his article "Googling Anti-Semitism" (March
19), discusses the unfortunate fact that jewwatch.com is top of the list when a
search is done on the word "Jew." He speculates that this is not the case in Europe
where Holocaust denial is illegal. I can report from the United Kingdom that JewWatch
comes top of the list here, and the search is only different when results from
just the UK are looked at.

Nick Landau, London, England

Math Problem

It's a shame that in her zeal to pin the state's budget
problems on the Democrats, Jill Stewart attacks the community colleges and the
disabled community in her opinion piece "Math Problem" (March 19). As a math
instructor at community colleges and the father of a disabled child, let me
help Stewart do the math. The purpose of the community college system is to
provide education to all Californians. For many, especially from culturally
diverse communities, it is the entry point toward transferring to a four-year
institution. For others, the colleges provide workforce education leading to careers
in nursing, office technology, etc., or retraining for those who have been
laid-off during the economic "recovery." Yet fees have jumped from $11 per unit
to $18 per unit during the last year -- a 64 percent increase. Gov.
Schwarzenegger's budget has proposed that these fees be raised to $26 per unit,
another 44 percent increase or a total increase of 136 percent in two years.
Rather than subsidizing students as Stewart suggests, it seems we are trying to
balance California's budget on their backs.

Stewart also takes a cheap shot at the disabled community
for advocating for their rights to be productive members of our society. The
disabled community is already at a disadvantage in pursuing their dreams. I
invite you to meet my daughter who requires a power wheelchair for mobility.
Witness the occupational and physical therapy that she endures as part of her
everyday life. Most importantly, witness her positive outlook on life. Rather
than balancing the budget on their backs, I suggest we applaud these vibrant
members of our society and help them achieve their goals, just as we do with
the able-bodied community. If you really want to do the math Ms. Stewart,
please advocate that those who have benefited from large tax breaks pay their
fair share rather than trying to further marginalize these two dynamic
communities.

David H. Senensieb, Calabasas

Correction

In "Conal's the Poster Boy for 'Art Attack'" (Feb. 27), Carol Wells is with
the Center for the Study of Political Graphics.

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